Gadget Driven.
I don't often cook things that rely on gadgets to insure they turn out right but this is definitely one of them. It's also definitely worth the investment.
The recipe itself came about quite by accident. I had been accustomed to starting out my roast chicken at 450 for 15 minutes then turning the oven down to 350 to finish cooking. One day when I was tired and distracted I forgot to turn the oven down after the timer went off. Because I do use a probe external thermometer I was a wee bit surprised when the 175* degree alarm went off so quickly. However the resulting chicken was a-mazing. Super crispy skin and succulent juicy meat. Now it's the only way I fly. (ha ha)
Gadgets
You will need:
A good quality probe thermometer with external alarm
A heavy duty pan of appropriate size to roast as many breast halves as you need. (I usually roast three or four and use my beloved 10" square cast iron skillet for the task.) Just make sure whichever you use it can withstand a 450 oven. It would also be nice if it could go to the cook top afterwards.)
Ingredients:
Skin on, bone in chicken breast halves
For each breast:
1 teaspoon butter softened
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 clove garlic finely minced
1/4-1/3 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon thyme
heavy pinch of salt
pinch of black pepper
(Multiply ingredients by amount of chicken breasts you are using)
Preheat oven to 450.
Mix together all of the butter ingredients and set aside.
Gently loosen the skin of the chicken and place a heaping teaspoon of the flavored butter under the skin. Smooth out the skin to distribute the butter and completely cover the meat. Place in a heavy duty pan, skin side up. Repeat with remaining chicken. It's alright if the breasts slightly overlap but don't crowd them in.
Rub the outside of the chicken with any remaining butter and sprinkle lightly with salt.
Decide which chicken breast is the largest. Insert the probe of the thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. Set your temperature alarm for:
135 (At which point you would put your roast potatoes in the oven or start your brown rice.)
or 155 (at which point you would start your Gadget Driven extra easy home made mashed potatoes{recipe coming soon}or your white rice.) once the first alarm goes off reset the temperature alarm to
175. (You can also start with 175 if you aren't making a time consuming side dish.)
Once the temperature reaches 175 remove the chicken from the oven and place on a cutting board or platter to rest while you make...
THE GRAVY!!!
If you used a pan that can be put on the cook top go on then put it on the stove over medium heat. Other wise scrape your pan dripping into a skillet and place it over medium heat.
Add 1 cup sherry or dry white wine.
Simmer for a minute or two then add:
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary
Bring to a boil and cook two to three minutes.
Thicken with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch dissolved in 1/3 cup water.
Recipe can be doubled or tripled.
You can also flavor the butter mixture in any fashion you like:
Coriander, orange peel and cardamon
or
Garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano and basil
or
Sesame seed, ginger and soy
or
Lemon peel, parsley and garlic
or
Lime peel, chili powder and cilantro
or
Lemon peel, curry powder and garam masala
or
Hoisin sauce, ginger and garlic,
or
Hot sauce and garlic
or
Brown sugar, lime peel, red pepper flakes and ginger
Really the combos are endless.
*
Look I know that FN chefs say chicken is just fine at 160-170 but I am a child of the 1970's. For years I couldn't even eat chicken unless it sucked all of the moisture out of my mouth for fear of terrible chicken diseases. I will admit if you take the chicken out at 160 that the meat is definitely juicier. I will also tell you that there will be pink near the bone and I cannot eat chicken that is pink near the bone. It's psychological, I know but it makes me happy AND at 175 the chicken is still really moist and juicy. So if 160 makes you happy then go ahead, 160 it.)
